HEAT EXCHANGER

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP2024/005994 with an international filing date of Feb. 20, 2024, which claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-027645 filed on Feb. 24, 2023, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between fluids.

BACKGROUND

Cooling devices have been used to prevent a temperature rise inside the housing of electronic devices. Some cooling devices introduce external air (outside air), exchange heat with air (inside air) inside the housing of the electronic devices, and then discharge the air. Heat exchangers employing such a cooling device are disclosed, for example, in JP H11-94476 A and JP 2016-109332 A.

The heat exchanger described in JP H11-94476 A uses thin plates having a shape continuously folded alternately to form a stacked space. Heat exchange is performed by flowing fluids through layers that contacts only one side of the thin plates and layers that contacts the other side of the thin plates, respectively. The heat exchanger described in JP 2016-109332 A uses a heat transfer body having a V-shaped groove formed by connecting a large number of heat transfer plate pieces.

However, the heat exchanger described in JP H11-94476 A has an issue in assembling because it is difficult to support the thin plates while maintaining the shape of the thin plates. The heat exchanger described in JP 2016-109332 A has an issue in that the heat transfer body configured by joining a large number of heat transfer plate pieces becomes thick, resulting in poor heat exchange performance and complicated structure and processing.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems with the conventional technology. One or more aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a heat exchanger with a simple configuration and improved assembling property.

A heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a case having at least a pair of walls; and a partition member having ends supported by the pair of walls, the partition member dividing an internal space of the case into a first flow path and a second flow path. A fluid flowing through the first flow path and a fluid flowing through the second flow path flow in a flow direction along a direction in which the walls face each other, and exchange heat with each other via the partition member. The partition member has a corrugated shape in a direction intersecting the flow direction, and the wall includes a corrugated support surface that supports the end of the partition member, the support surface having a predetermined width in the flow direction.

According to the heat exchanger of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger with a simple configuration and improved assembling property.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1 viewed from the opposite surface side in the height direction.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a case of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a partition member according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4B is an end view of the partition member of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the flow of fluid within the heat exchanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing the configuration of a wall of the case of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1 and a partially enlarged perspective view showing the structure of a support portion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end view showing the partition member attached to the wall of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the partition member attached to the wall of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view and an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the assembly of the partition member and the configuration of a sealing layer in the wall of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view showing the wall of the case before the sealing layer is formed.

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view showing the wall of the case after the sealing layer has been formed.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing sealing of an inside-air-side wall surface of the case of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a central section of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment, showing the wall of the case with the sealing layer formed.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view showing sealing in the wall of the heat exchanger of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17A is a perspective view showing another configuration example of a partition member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17B is an end view of the partition member of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the partition member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the partition member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the partition member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the partition member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22A is a perspective view showing another configuration example of a partition member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22B is an end view and a top view of the partition member of FIG. 22A.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing another example of the configuration of the case of the heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view and a partially enlarged perspective view showing the configuration of a support portion disposed on the wall of the case in FIG. 23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a case having at least a pair of walls; and a partition member having ends supported by the pair of walls, the partition member dividing an internal space of the case into a first flow path and a second flow path. A fluid flowing through the first flow path and a fluid flowing through the second flow path flow in a flow direction along a direction in which the walls face each other, and exchange heat with each other via the partition member. The partition member has a corrugated shape in a direction intersecting the flow direction, and the wall includes a corrugated support surface that supports the end of the partition member, the support surface having a predetermined width in the flow direction.

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a heat exchanger with a simple structure and improved assembly efficiency.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the partition member includes a first corrugated surface in contact with the fluid flowing through the first flow path and a second corrugated surface in contact with the fluid flowing through the second flow path. The wall includes: a first wall portion facing at least the first flow path in the flow direction; and a second wall portion protruding from the first wall portion toward the internal space of the case. The second wall portion includes the corrugated support surface that is configured to support the end of the partition member at the second corrugated surface.

In addition, a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure further includes a sealing layer. The sealing layer is formed by a filler disposed in a space surrounded by the support surface of the second wall portion, an inner surface of the first wall portion facing the first flow path, and an inner surface of the case defining the first flow path, and the end of the partition member is arranged to be embedded in the sealing layer.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the second corrugated surface and the support surface are disposed with a gap therebetween, and a portion of the sealing layer is formed within the gap and is configured to support the end of the partition member.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the partition member and the case are integrally configured.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the partition member is configured by a plurality of interconnecting plates.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the plurality of plates are interconnected by brazing.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the plurality of plates are interconnected by caulking.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the partition member is configured by a plurality of interconnecting aluminum sheets.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one of the first corrugated surface and the second corrugated surface includes at least a pair of convex portions arranged to face each other and abut against each other.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the first wall portion of at least a first wall includes an opening communicating with the second flow path.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the case includes a wall surface extending toward the first wall and being inclined outward from the case, and the wall surface faces the second corrugated surface and is connected to the opening.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the case includes a first wall surface facing the first corrugated surface, and the first wall surface includes an opening through which the fluid flowing through the first flow path enters and exits the case.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the case includes a second wall surface facing the second corrugated surface, and the second wall surface includes an opening through which the fluid flowing through the second flow path enters and exits the case.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the case includes both side wall surfaces extending between the pair of walls and connecting a first wall surface facing the first corrugated surface and a second wall surface facing the second corrugated surface, each of the sidewall surfaces includes a shoulder portion parallel to the flow direction, and edges of the partition member on both sides parallel to the flow direction are attached to the shoulder portions of the both sidewall surfaces.

In addition, in a heat exchanger according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a filler adhering the partition member to the case is disposed between the edge and the shoulder portion.

Any of the above various aspects may be appropriately combined to achieve their respective effects.

Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following description becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

Heat exchangers according to the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 24. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter defined in the appended claims. In each drawing, each element is exaggerated for ease of explanation. Note that the same reference numerals are imparted to substantially the same members in the drawings.

First Embodiment

(Configuration of Heat Exchanger According to First Embodiment)

The overall configuration of a heat exchanger 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger 100 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger 100 of FIG. 1 viewed from the opposite surface side in the height direction. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a case 102 of the heat exchanger 100 according to the first embodiment. In the drawings, the X, Y, and Z directions respectively indicates the width direction, depth direction, and height direction of the heat exchanger 100. In the following description, the flow direction of the fluid in the heat exchanger 100 is the depth direction (Y direction in the figures).

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the heat exchanger 100 according to this embodiment includes the case 102 made of resin and a partition member 101 disposed in the case 102. The case 102 includes a pair of walls 102a and 102b in the depth direction (Y direction in the figure), cover wall surfaces 103 and 104 in the height direction (Z direction in the figure), and side wall surfaces 105 on both sides joining the cover wall surface 103 and the cover wall surface 104, and is configured to surround a space through which two heat exchanging fluids pass.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the cover wall surface 103 of the case 102 has, near both ends in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in the figure), openings 106a and 106b through which fluid flows in and out. As shown in FIG. 2, the cover wall surface 104 of the case 102 is configured to include, near the both ends of the case 102, inclined portions 104a1 and 104a2 extending toward the walls 102a and 102b in the Y direction, respectively, and being inclined outward from the case 102 in the Z direction. The cover wall surfaces 103 and 104 can be configured to be in contact with the respective fluids that exchange heat in the heat exchanger 100 and have openings through which the fluids flow in and out of the heat exchanger 100. In this embodiment, the cover wall surface 103 is in contact with inside air passing through the heat exchanger 100 and is referred to as “inside-air-side wall surface” or “first wall surface”, while the cover wall surface 104 is in contact with outside air passing through the heat exchanger 100 and is referred to as “outside-air-side wall surface” or “second wall surface”.

As shown in FIG. 3, the side wall surfaces 105 on both sides of the case 102 each have an outer wall surface 105a, an inner wall surface 105b, an upper end surface (not shown) on the +Z side in the figure, and a lower end surface 105d on the −Z side in the figure. The side wall surfaces 105 contact the inside-air-side wall surface 103 at the upper end surface, and contact the outside-air-side wall surface 104 at the lower end surface 105d, respectively. The lower end surface 105d includes a flat central portion 105d1 and both bent ends 105d2 bent up toward the −Z direction in the figure, and the both bent ends 105d2 are configured to be in contact with the inclined portions 104a1 and 104a2 lying at the ends of the outside-air-side wall surface 104.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of walls 102a and 102b of the case 102 each include an end wall surface 107 and a support portion 111 protruding from the end wall surface 107 toward the internal space of the case 102. In this specification, the “end wall surface” is referred to also as “first wall portion”, and the “support portion” is referred to also as “second wall portion”.

As shown in FIG. 3, the end wall surfaces 107 of the walls 102a and 102b of the case 102 each have an outer wall surface 107a facing outward and an inner wall surface 107b facing inward. The end wall surfaces 107 can each be configured to have an opening through which the fluid passing through the heat exchanger 100 enters and exits. In this embodiment, the end wall surfaces 107 are disposed generally facing an inside air path, being in contact with the inside-air-side wall surface 103 on the +Z side in the figure, and away from the outside-air-side wall surface 104 on the −Z side in the figure. Openings 108a and 108b in the walls 102a and 102b are defined at both ends. In this embodiment, the outside air exchanging heat with the inside air in the heat exchanger 100 can enter and exit an outside air path of the heat exchanger 100 through the openings 108a and 108b. The configuration of the walls 102a and 102b will be described in more detail later.

(Configuration of Partition Member and Fluid Flow in Heat Exchanger)

The configuration of the partition member 101 will then be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 5. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the partition member 101 according to the first embodiment, while FIG. 4B is an end view of the partition member 101 of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the flow of fluid within the heat exchanger 100 of FIG. 1.

In this embodiment, the partition member 101 can be configured to have a corrugated shape in a direction intersecting the flow direction (Y direction in the figure) of the fluid in the heat exchanger 100. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4A, the partition member 101 is configured to have a corrugated shape when viewed from the Y direction in the figure, and includes corrugated ends 101a and 101b, an inside-air-side corrugated surface 101c1, and an outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2. The corrugated ends 101a and 101b are supported by the pair of walls 102a and 102b of the case 102 of the heat exchanger 100. The inside-air-side corrugated surface 101c1 and the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 extend between the corrugated ends 101a and 101b and define the surfaces on both sides of the partition member 101. As shown in FIG. 5, the corrugated ends 101a and 101b are arranged on both the walls 102a and 102b of the case 102. The inside-air-side corrugated surface 101c1 and the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 are arranged parallel to the flow direction of the fluid in the heat exchanger 100 (Y direction in the figure) and are in contact with the inside air and the outside air, passing through the heat exchanger 100, respectively. In this manner, the internal space of the heat exchanger 100 is divided into the outside air path and the inside air path by the partition member 101. In this specification, the “inside air path” and the “outside air path” are referred to also as “first flow path” and “second flow path”, respectively, and the “inside-air-side corrugated surface” and the “outside-air-side corrugated surface” are referred to also as “first corrugated surface” and “second corrugated surface”, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4B, at the corrugated ends 101a and 101b of the partition member 101, a number of “V”-shaped grooves are formed by zigzag-shaped edges m1n1, n1m2, m2n2, n2m3, m3n3, etc., and can be separated into upward “V”-shaped grooves and downward “V”-shaped grooves. The upward “V”-shaped groove is in contact with the inside-air-side corrugated surface 101c1 to form the inside air path communicating with an opening area S1, and the downward “V”-shaped groove is in contact with the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 to form the outside air path communicating with an opening area S2. The gases flowing along the inside air path and the outside air path thus flow passing through the heat exchanger without mixing with each other, and the heat transfer surface area is increased by the large number of “V”-shaped grooves, so that efficient heat exchange can be achieved inside the heat exchanger.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4B, the number of “V”-shaped grooves are arranged at equal intervals with a spacing d, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The “V”-shaped grooves may be arranged with different intervals. In addition, in this embodiment, the corrugated end of the partition member 101 is configured with a “V”-shaped groove, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Partition members having grooves of other shapes will be described in detail later. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the “V”-shaped grooves are formed to have a same height h, which are the length between the tips of the upward “V”-shaped groove and the downward “V”-shaped grooves, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The corrugated end of the partition member 101 may include grooves with different heights.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the partition member 101 has extensions 114 at edges on both sides parallel to the fluid flow direction (Y direction in the figures). The extensions 114 are configured to extend toward the side wall surfaces 105 on both sides of the case 102 when attached to the heat exchanger 100. With the extensions 114, it is easy to position the partition member 101 within the heat exchanger 100. This will be described in detail later. In this embodiment, as shown in the figures, the extensions 114 are formed at approximately the same level as the tip of the “V”-shaped groove of the partition member 101, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 5, heat exchange of fluids in the heat exchanger 100 will be described. FIG. 5 exemplarily illustrates heat exchange between inside air 109 and outside air 110. The inside air 109 is introduced, for example by an inside air fan (not shown), into the heat exchanger 100 as inside incoming air 109a from the opening 106a at one end of the inside-air-side wall surface 103 of the case 102. The introduced incoming air 109a passes through the heat exchanger 100 as inside flowing air 109b along the inside air path (not shown) between the inside-air-side corrugated surface 101c1 of the partition member 101 and the inside-air-side wall surface 103, and is discharged as inside outcoming air 109c from the opening 106b at the other end of the inside-air-side wall surface 103. On the other hand, the outside air 110 is introduced, for example by an outside air fan (not shown), into the heat exchanger as outside incoming air 110a from the opening 108a in the wall 102a of the case 102. The introduced incoming air 110a passes through the heat exchanger 100 as outside flowing air 110b along the outside air path (not shown) between the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 and the outside-air-side wall surface 104 of the partition member 101, and is discharged as outside outcoming air 110c from the opening 108b in the wall 102b. The inside flowing air 109b and the outside flowing air 110b in the heat exchanger 100 flow in a flow direction (Y direction in the figure) in which the walls 102a and 102b at both ends of the case 102 face each other. The inside flowing air 109b and the outside flowing air 110b can exchange heat during separately passing along the inside air path and the outside air path that are thermally in contact with each other via the partition member 101. The inside air 109 and the outside air 110 can also exchange heat by passing through the heat exchanger 100 with a reversed flow path configuration.

For example, when using heat exchange to cool the inside air, the inside incoming air 109a has a relatively high temperature, and the outside incoming air 110a has a sufficiently lower temperature than the inside air 109a. By performing heat exchange via the partition member 101, the inside flowing air 109b with a high temperature near the entrance is cooled down as it flows along the inside air path, exiting as the inside outcoming air 109c with a relatively low temperature. Conversely, the outside flowing air 110b with a low temperature near the entrance is warmed up as it flows along the outside air path, exiting as the outside outcoming air 110c with a relatively high temperature. The inside flowing air 109b and the outside flowing air 110b passing through the heat exchanger 100 in opposite directions, thereby enabling an efficient heat exchange.

The partition member 101 can be made of a thermally conductive material, for example, aluminum or SUS. In addition, in the heat exchanger 100, the thinner the plate material constituting the partition member 101, the higher heat exchange effect is achieved. In this embodiment, the partition member 101 can be made of an aluminum sheet having a thickness of, for example, 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm. The arrangement interval d of the “V”-shaped grooves of the partition member 101 may be, but is not limited to, 4 mm or more, and the height h of the “V”-shaped groove may be, for example, 40 mm or more. To facilitate maintaining the shape of the partition member 101 having the above configuration and assembling it in the case 102, the heat exchanger 100 of the present disclosure is configured to support the corrugated ends 101a and 101b of the partition member 101 by support surfaces disposed on the pair of walls 102a and 102b of the case 102. Hereinafter, the configuration of the walls of the case 102 and the assembly of the partition member 101 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

(Configuration of Pair of Walls and Assembly of Partition Member)

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing the configuration of the wall 102b of the case 102 of the heat exchanger 100 in FIG. 1 and a partial enlarged perspective view showing the structure of the support portion 111. FIG. 7 is an end cross-sectional view showing the partition member 101 attached to the wall 102b in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged perspective view showing the partition member 101 attached to the wall 102b in FIG. 6, and FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view and a partial cross-sectional enlarged view A showing the assembly of the partition member 101 to the wall 102b in FIG. 6 and the configuration of the sealing layer.

FIG. 6 shows the wall 102b of the case 102 viewed from the direction of the inside-air-side wall surface 103 of the case 102 shown in FIG. 3 with the inside-air-side wall surface 103 removed. As shown in the figure, the wall 102b can be configured to include an end wall surface 107 and a support portion 111. The end wall surface 107 defines the first wall portion generally facing the inside air path, and the support portion 111 defines the second wall portion protruding from the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 toward the internal space of the case 102. In this embodiment, the wall 102a of the case 102, which is not shown in FIG. 6, may be configured similarly to the wall 102b.

The support portion 111 of the wall 102b can be made of, for example, resin, and include a first end 111A, a corrugated support surface 111a, and an opposing surface 111b. The first end 111A extends between the inner wall surfaces 105b of the both side wall surfaces 105, and is located on the −Y side of the support portion 111 shown in FIG. 6. The corrugated support surface 111a extending between the first end portion 111A and the inner wall surface 107b opposite the first end portion 111A. The opposing surface 111b is located on the back side of the support surface 111a, and the thickness of the support portion 111 is defined between the corrugated support surface 111a and the opposing surface 111b. As shown in the partially enlarged perspective view of FIG. 6, the support surface 111a faces the inside-air-side wall surface 103 (not shown in FIG. 6) on the −Z side of the case 102 in the figure, and the opposing surface 111b on the back side faces the outside-air-side wall surface 104 (not shown in FIG. 6) on the +Z side of the case 102 in the figure. As shown in the figure, the support surface 111a is configured to have a width t (length in the Y direction) between the first end 111A and the inner wall surface 107b in the direction of the flow path inside the case 102. In this embodiment, the opposing surface 111b on the back side of the support surface 111a is shown to have a shape generally similar to that of the support surface 111a, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The opposing surface 111b of the support portion 111 may have a shape different from that of the support surface 111a.

FIG. 7 shows an end surface of the support portion 111. As shown in the figure, the end of the support portion 111 can be configured to have a plurality of trapezoidal wave crests Ta, Tb, etc. The plurality of trapezoidal wave crests Ta, Tb, etc., have a wave crest height H, which is the length between tips M and N on the +Z side and −Z side in the figure, and are arranged such that adjacent wave crests have an interval D. In this embodiment, the support portion 111 is configured such that the wave crest height H is smaller than the height h of the “V”-shaped groove of the partition member 101, and the interval D between adjacent wave crests corresponds to the spacing d of the “V”-shaped groove of the partition member 101. In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the opposing surface 111b of the support portion 111 is configured to have a plurality of trapezoidal wave crests, similar to the support surface 111a.

FIG. 7 shows the positions of the opening 108b in the end wall surface 107 included in the wall 102b of the case 102 conceptually. As shown in the figure, the opening 108b through which the outside air enters and exits are formed between the opposing surface 111b of the support portion 111 and the outside-air-side wall surface 104 of the case 102, i.e., in the area communicating with the outside air path in the heat exchanger. The end wall surface 107 of the case 102 faces the inside air path in the heat exchanger, and can have a height from the inside-air-side wall surface 103 of the case 102 to the tip M in the +Z direction of the trapezoidal wave crests Ta, Tb, etc., of the support portion 111. In this embodiment, the end wall surface 107 is configured so that the height in the Z direction does not exceed the tip M of the trapezoidal wave crests Ta, Tb, etc., of the support portion 111, thereby ensuring a sufficient opening through which the outside air enters and exits the heat exchanger 100. In some other embodiments, the end wall surface 107 may include a portion within the area that communicating with the outside air path in the heat exchanger. The “area that communicating with the outside air path” refers to an area that is fluidically connected to the outside air path.

In this embodiment, the support portion 111 is configured to support the corrugated ends 101a and 101b of the partition member 101 with the support surface 111a. This allows the partition member 101 to be stably assembled. As shown in FIG. 7, the support portion 111 is configured to support the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 of the corrugated ends 101a and 101b of the partition member 101 with the support surface 111a. The support portion 111 can be constructed in a structurally simple manner and can support the partition member 101 with sufficient area and strength by including the corrugated end formed by trapezoidal wave crests Ta, Tb, etc. The width t (Y-direction length) of the support surface 111a in the fluid flow direction may be, for example, 2 mm to 5 mm. With the support surface 111a having the width t (Y-direction length) in the fluid flow direction, the support strength can be increased and a sufficient adhesive surface for fixing the partition member 101 to the support surface 111a can be secured. Furthermore, since the height H of the wave crest is smaller than the height h of the “V”-shaped groove of the partition member 101, a space Sa is formed between a tip m of the “V”-shaped groove on the upper side (the Z side in the figure) of the partition member 101 and the support surface 111a. The space Sa can be used to fix the partition member 101 and the support surface 111a. This will be described later.

In this specification, support supplied by the support surface for the partition member does not only mean a configuration where the support surface directly contacts and supports the partition member, but also includes a configuration where the support surface indirectly supports the partition member, for example, a configuration where a filler or the like is disposed between the support surface and the partition member.

In this embodiment, the side wall surface 105 of the case 102 has a shoulder 113 (see FIG. 6) formed parallel to the fluid flow direction (Y direction in the figure). As shown in FIG. 7, the extensions 114 of the edges on both sides of the partition member 101 in the X direction can be disposed on the shoulders 113 on both sides of the case 102. In this embodiment, the shoulders 113 can be provided at a position closer to the inside-air-side wall surface 103 than the edge (not shown in FIG. 7) on the −Z side of the end wall surface 107 of the case 102. In addition, the distance L1 between a rest surface 113a (the upper surface of the shoulder 113 in the Z direction in the figure) of the extension 114 of the shoulder 113 and the support surface 111a at the tip N on the −Z side in the figure of the trapezoidal wave crest of the support portion 111 is longer than the distance L2 between the extension 114 of the partition member 101 and a tip n of the “V”-shaped groove on the −Z side in the figure. Hence, when the extension 114 of the partition member 101 is placed on the shoulder 113 of the case 102, the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 of the partition member 101 and the support surface 111a of the support portion 111 can be arranged with a gap 115 therebetween. The gap 115 can be used to fix the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 of the partition member 101 to the support surface 111a of the support portion 111. In this way, the partition member 101 can be positioned in the height direction (Z direction in the figure) within the heat exchanger 100.

FIG. 8 shows the corner of the case 102 with the partition member 101 attached. The partition member 101 can be disposed on the shoulder 113 of the case 102 so that an end 116 of the extension 114 of the partition member 101 abuts an end 117 of the shoulder 113. In this manner, the partition member 101 can be positioned in the depth direction (Y direction in the figure) within the heat exchanger 100.

The present disclosure is not limited to the specific shapes or configurations of the extension 114 of the partition member 101 or the shoulder 113 of the case 102. For example, the partition member 101 can be positioned in the heat exchanger 100 by disposing a concave portion or a convex portion on the extension 114 and disposing a convex portion or a concave portion on the shoulder 113 at a corresponding position.

In this embodiment, a sealing layer is formed on a part of the walls 102a and 102b of the heat exchanger 100. The sealing layer seals the area of the inside air path facing the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 (hereinafter, for simplicity of explanation, referred to as the “end region of the inside air path”) and can fix the corrugated end part of the partition member 101 to the support portion 111. The assembly of the partition member 101 and the configuration of the sealing layer near the walls 102a and 102b of the heat exchanger 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 shows the assembled partition member 101 as viewed from the width direction (X direction in the figure) of the heat exchanger 100. In addition, the partially enlarged view A in FIG. 9 conceptually shows a part of a sealing layer 121 disposed between the first end 111A of the support portion 111 and the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 of the case 102. As described above, the support portion 111 has the support surface 111a with a width t (length in the Y direction) in the fluid flow direction, so that the partition member 101 can be stably supported. When the partition member 101 is mounted on the support portion 111, as shown in FIG. 9, a slight gap 118 can be formed between the corrugated end 101a of the partition member 101 and the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 by positioning the partition member 101 in the depth direction (Y direction in the figure) of the heat exchanger 100.

As shown in the partially enlarged view A of FIG. 9, the heat exchanger 100 can be formed with the sealing layer 121, indicated by hatching, between the first end 111A of the support portion 111 and the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 of the case 102. The sealing layer 121 can stably fix the partition member 101 and the support portion 111 by filling the gap 115, the gap 118, and the space Sa described above. In addition, the sealing layer 121 seals the end region of the inside air path, and thereby allowing the heat exchanger 100 with high airtightness so that even if some dust or water is mixed into the outside air introduced from the opposing direction of the walls 102a and 102b through the opening 108a, the dust or water will be prevented from entering into the inside air flowing along the inside air path.

As shown in the partial enlarged view A of FIG. 9, a part of the sealing layer 121 can be disposed in the gap 118 between the corrugated end 101a of the partition member 101 and the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107. A thickness T of the sealing layer 121 in the fluid flow direction (Y direction in the figure) can be, for example, about 1 mm to 2 mm.

Fixing of the partition member 101 and sealing of the inside air path of the heat exchanger 100 will hereinafter be described more specifically with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14.

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view showing the wall 102b of the case 102 before the sealing layer is formed, and FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view showing the wall 102b of the case 102 after the sealing layer is formed. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the sealing of the inside-air-side wall surface 103 of the case of the heat exchanger 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a central section of the heat exchanger 100 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger according to the first embodiment, showing the wall 102b of the case 102 with the sealing layer formed.

The partition member 101 can be fixed and the inside air path of the heat exchanger 100 can be sealed, for example, as follows.

FIG. 10 shows the case 102 without the inside-air-side wall surface 103 (not shown in FIG. 10) on the −Z side in the figure. First, as shown in FIG. 10, the partition member 101 is settled inside the case 102, and preparations are made to fill the gap 118 between the corrugated end 101a of the partition member 101 and the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 of the case 102. Specifically, on the upper surface on the −Z side in the drawing of the case 102, a temporary wall 119 is formed with, for example, tape from the shoulder 113 on one side to the shoulder 113 on the opposite side across the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107 that faces the inside air path. In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the temporary wall 119 has a predetermined width w from the inner wall surface 107b in the Y direction and is formed so as to cover the upper surface area of the case 102 including the edge 107c on the −Z side of the end wall surface 107 of the wall 102b and the shoulders 113 on both sides. The width w of the temporary wall 119 in the Y direction is formed to be larger than the thickness T of the sealing layer 121. This makes it possible to prevent the outflow of the filler that forms the sealing layer 121 until the filler hardens.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the sealing layer 121 can be formed by pouring a filler into a space surrounded by the support surface 111a (not shown) of the support portion 111, the temporary wall 119, the inner wall surfaces 105b of the side wall surfaces 105 on both sides of case 102 that define the inside air path, and the inner wall surface 107b of the end wall surface 107. By forming the sealing layer 121 on the wall 102b of the case 102, the end region of the inside air path can be sealed and the partition member 101 can be fixed to the support portion 111. The filler constituting the sealing layer 121 fills the gap 115 between the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 of the partition member 101 and the support surface 111a of the support portion 111, and the space Sa between the tip m of the partition member 101 and the support surface 111a of the support portion 111, so that the corrugated end 101a of the partition member 101 is arranged to be embedded in the sealing layer 121. In this way, the corrugated end 101a of the partition member 101 can be fixed to the support surface 111a and stably supported. The present disclosure is not limited to the type of tape used to form the temporary wall.

The filler for forming the sealing layer 121 may be, for example, a resin material such as epoxy or acrylic, or a hot melt. In the case of a silicon material, it is preferable that the material is siloxane-free. Furthermore, since the gaps 115 and 118 are small, the sealing layer 121 can be formed more easily by using a filler with low viscosity. The sealing layer 121 may be made of a filler that is resistant to weathering such as water and humidity.

Similarly, a sealing layer can be formed on the wall 102a of the case 102 to seal the end region of the inside air path near the wall 102a, and the partition member 101 can be fixed to and supported by the support.

After the filler hardens, the tape forming the temporary wall (not shown) can be removed. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, a filler 122 can be filled between the extension 114 of the partition member 101 and the placement surface 113a of the shoulder 113 on the side wall surface 105 of the case 102 to fix the partition member 101 to the case 102. A High viscosity filler 122 can be used to prevent the filler from flowing out during the process.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 12, the gap between the partition member 101 and the inside-air-side wall surface 103 of the case 102 is filled with a filler 123, and the inside air path (not shown) through which the inside air flows can be sealed in the fluid flow direction (Y direction in the figure). This completely separates the inside air from the outside air, and completely seals the inside air path from the surrounding environment so that dust and water from the surroundings do not get mixed into the inside air, thereby making it possible to fabricate a heat exchanger configuration with high airtightness.

The filler 123 may be the same as the filler 122. The same effect can be achieved by sandwiching and assembling a sheet made of, for example, an elastomer on the inside of the inside-air-side wall surface 103 instead of the fillers 122 and 123. A sheet disposed on the inside of the inside-air-side wall surface 103 can be made of an elastic material that is less susceptible to gas generation or deterioration due to water or moisture and has a relatively low hardness.

As shown in FIG. 13, at the central section of the heat exchanger 100 configured in this manner, the inside air path on the +Z side in contact with the inside-air-side corrugated surface 101c1 has the air passage area S1 between the “V”-shaped grooves on the +Z side of the partition member 101, and the outside air path on the −Z side in contact with the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101c2 has the air passage area S2 between the “V”-shaped grooves on the −Z side of the partition member 101. On the other hand, in the vicinity of the wall 102b of the heat exchanger 100 having the sealing layer 121 and the fillers 122 and 123 shown in FIG. 14, the air passage area S1 communicating with the inside air path on the +Z side in the figure is sealed by the sealing layer 121, and in the cross-sectional area communicating with the outside air path on the −Z side in the figure, the opening area between the “V”-shaped grooves of the partition member 101 is reduced because of the arrangement of the support portion 111, the gap 115, and the space Sa filled with the filler.

In this embodiment, as described above, the openings 108a and 108b, which are the entrance and exit of the outside air, are configured to be connected to the outside-air-side wall surface 104 extending toward the walls 102a and 102b at both ends of the case 102 and being inclined outward from the case with outward inclinations 104al and 104a2. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, the outside air path near the wall 102b of the heat exchanger 100 can be configured to have an air passage area S3 that is larger than the opening area between the “V”-shaped grooves on the −Z side of the partition member 101, which has been reduced by the formation of the sealing layer 121, etc. In addition, considering the ventilation resistance near the fluid inlet and outlet, the air passage area S3 communicating with the outside air path near the wall 102b of the heat exchanger 100 and the air passage area S2 communicating with the outside air path near the center of the heat exchanger 100 can be configured so that S3≥S2. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in ventilation resistance near the outside air inlet and outlet, and thus to suppress local increases in wind speed at the fluid inlet and outlet, thereby decreasing wind noise, reducing the load on the heat exchange fans, and achieving quiet operation by suppressing fan rotation speeds.

Similarly, the openings 106a and 106b (see FIG. 5) through which the inside air flows in and out can be configured to have an area equal to or larger than the air passage area S1 of the inside air path at the central section of the heat exchanger 100.

The heat exchanger 100 according to the first embodiment described above has a simple configuration and is easy to assemble. The inside air path through which the inside air flows is sealed from the surrounding environment, preventing mixing of the outside air and the inside air, and has a highly airtight configuration. As shown in FIG. 5, the outside air path through which the outside air flows is configured straight between the openings 108a and 108b. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The outside air path through which the outside air flows can also be configured as a curved flow path. As an example of the configuration of a heat exchanger having a curved outside air path, the configuration of a heat exchanger 200 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 will be described.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger 200 according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view showing sealing at a wall 202a of the heat exchanger 200 in FIG. 15. In FIGS. 15 and 16, the same components as those in the heat exchanger 100 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 15, in the heat exchanger 200, an opening 208b is defined in a wall 202b of a case 202 as an inlet/outlet on one side of the outside air path through which the outside air flows, similar to the heat exchanger 100. On the other hand, no opening is defined in the wall 202a, and the end wall surface 107 is configured to be in contact with both the inside-air-side wall surface 203 and the outside-air-side wall surface 204. An opening 208a is defined in the outside-air-side wall surface 204 near the wall 202a as an inlet/outlet on the other side of the outside air path through which the outside air flows. In this way, in the heat exchanger 200, the outside air is introduced from the opening 208a in the outside-air-side wall surface 204, passes through the inside of the heat exchanger 200, and discharged from the opening 208b in the wall 202b. The same applies to the flow in the opposite direction.

FIG. 16 shows the sealing of the wall 202a of the case 202 of the heat exchanger 200 with the outside-air-side wall surface 204 removed. The temporary wall surface can be formed between the corrugated end 101a of the partition member 101 and an inner wall surface 207b of an end wall surface 207 of the case 202 with tape or the like, and a filling material can be filled to form a sealing layer 124. The sealing layer 124 seals the entire end wall surface 207 of the wall 202a, sealing both end regions (not shown) of the inside air path and the outside air path near the wall 202a, and the corrugated end of the partition member 101 can be fixed to the support portion 111 and supported stably. The sealing layer 124 can be formed with the same filling material as the sealing layer 121 of the heat exchanger 100. The formation of the sealing layer 121 described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14 can be applied to the wall 202b of the case 202.

(Manufacture of Heat Exchanger)

The heat exchangers 100 and 200 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure have the advantage that they are not only easier to assemble, but also easier to manufacture due to the simple configuration. For example, in the above description, the gap between the case 102 or 202 and the partition member 101 is sealed using a filler. The case 102 or 202 made of resin materials is manufacturable by injection molding. Furthermore, since the partition member 101 is made of metal, the partition member 101 and the case 102 or 202 can be integrally manufactured by, for example, insert molding.

The insert molding of the partition member 101 and the cases 102 and 202 can be performed, for example, by setting the partition member 101 in a mold in advance, and forming the above sealing layer on all four sides of the partition member 101, particularly on both longitudinal walls, so that the sealing layer is filled in when the wall surfaces of the cases 102 and 202 are formed. The end of the partition member 101, where an opening for inlet and outlet is provided, can be molded using a corresponding mold so as to have a wave shape similar to that of the support described above. According to the manufacture using insert molding, the manufacturing and assembly of the partition member 101 and the sealing of the end region of the inside air path are simultaneously achieved. The manufacturing hours can be reduced, enabling the production of the heat exchangers at low cost. In the insert molding, for example, the sealing between the case 102, 202 and the cover wall surface constituting the inside air path through which the inside air flows, for example, the inside-air-side wall surface 103, 203 in the above embodiment, can be performed separately.

In the manufacture of the cases 102 and 202, instead of using the resin cased 102 and 202 as a one-piece case, for example, the wall of the case including the support portion having the corrugated ends may be formed as a one-resin molded piece, and the side wall surfaces on both sides may be formed as other pieces, and then the heat exchanger case may be assembled by connecting these pieces. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the investment in molds for manufacturing the cases 102 and 202. In addition, when planning different types of heat exchangers by changing the length of the partition member 101 in the fluid flow direction, the side wall surfaces on both sides connecting the walls of the case including the support portion may be made as a common member. This configuration will be described with reference to the drawings in Another Configuration Example of Heat Exchanger Case, which will be described later.

(Another Configuration Example of Partition Member)

The partition member 101 can be fabricated in various different configurations. Hereinafter, various other configuration examples of the partition member 101 different from the configuration described in the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17A to 22B.

FIG. 17A is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a partition member 101A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 17B is an end view of the partition member 101A in FIG. 17A. FIGS. 18 to 22A are perspective views showing configuration examples of partition members 101B, 101C, 101D, and 101F according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, respectively. FIG. 22B is an end view (a) and a top view (b) of a partition member 101F in FIG. 22A.

The partition member 101A shown in FIG. 17A has a plurality of convex portions 130 disposed on the surface of a thin plate constituting the partition member 101A. The convex portions 130 can be disposed on one or both surfaces of the thin plate constituting the partition member 101A. When the partition member 101A having a corrugated shape is formed from the thin plate, as shown in FIG. 17B, a pair of convex portions 131a and 131b on an inside-air-side corrugated surface 101A1 of the partition member 101A are arranged to face and abut against each other, and similarly, a pair of convex portions 132a and 132b on an outside-air-side corrugated surface 101A2 are arranged to face and abut against each other. In this way, by having at least a pair of convex portions arranged to face each other on either or both of the inside-air-side corrugated surface 101A and the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101A2, the spacing between the “V”-shaped grooves of the partition member 101A is determined by the pair of convex portions 131a and 131b or the pair of convex portions 132a and 132b, the partition member 101A can be easily manufactured, and the workability can be greatly improved. In addition, the flow of the fluid that hits the convex portions on the inside-air-side corrugated surface 101A1 and the outside-air-side corrugated surface 101A2 is partially turbulent. As a result, it may also be expected to improve the heat exchange performance.

The corrugated shape of the partition member is not limited to the configuration of the “V”-shaped groove. For example, the partition members 101B and 101C shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 are formed with corrugated surfaces 101B1, 101B2, 101C1, and 101C2 having rounded top configurations. Furthermore, corrugated surfaces 101D1 and 101D2 of the partition member 101D shown in FIG. 20 have top configurations including protrusions 133a and 133b, respectively. Corrugated surfaces 101E1 and 101E2 of the partition member 101E shown in FIG. 21 are formed to have a top configuration of a generally flat shape.

Within the flow path formed by the partition member, by disposing a thermally conductive thin plate member in thermal contact with the inner wall of the flow path, the surface area for heat exchange can be increased and the heat exchange efficiency can be improved. An example of the configuration of such a partition member is shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B. As shown in the figure, the flow path of the partition member 101F is formed by a thin plate 140, and the partition member 101F can have a configuration similar to that of the partition member 101 shown in FIG. 4A or the partition members 101A to 101E shown in FIGS. 17A to 21. The partition member 101F differs from the partition member 101 or the partition members 101A to 101E described above in that a thermally conductive thin plate member 145 that is in thermal contact with the thin plate 140 is further disposed in the flow path of the partition member 101F.

In the illustrated embodiment, the thin plate 140 constituting the flow path of the partition member 101F forms a wave shape including plural wave crests in a direction intersecting with the flow direction of the fluid (Y direction in the figure), thereby forming an inside air path 141a and an outside air path 141b arranged alternately in the X direction in the figure. Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the thermally conductive thin plate member 145 disposed in the outside air path 141b is arranged to extend between wave ends 140a and 140b of the partition member 101F as shown in FIG. 22B. Also, as viewed from the wave end of the partition member 101F, the thin plate member 145 can form a corrugated shape including plural fine wave crests in a direction intersecting with the arrangement direction of the flow paths 141a and 141b of the partition member 101F (X direction in the figure), in this embodiment, in the depth direction of the flow path (Z direction in the figure). The thin plate member 145 can be brought into contact with the inner wall of the outside air path 141b at the crests of the fine wave crests, for example, and fixed to the corrugated plate 140 by brazing at the contact portions. In this embodiment, the thin plate member 145 is disposed only in the outside air path 141b, and is disposed only on an outside-air-side corrugated surface 101F2 of the thin plate 140, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The thin plate member 145 thus configured can significantly increase the surface area in the flow path and can be stably fixed to the inner wall of the flow path. The method of fixing the thin plate member 145 and the thin plate 140 is not limited to brazing. For example, the thin plate member 145 and the thin plate 140 can be fixed to each other with a thermally conductive adhesive or the like. Also, although FIG. 22B(a) shows the thin plate member 145 abutting against the inner walls on both opposing sides of the outside air path 141b, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The thin plate member may be disposed so as to abut against the inner wall on one side of the flow path of the partition member.

The present disclosure is not limited to the respective corrugated shapes of the thin plate 140 constituting the flow path and the thin plate member 145 arranged in the flow path, or the pitch of the wave crests included in each corrugated shape. In addition, although FIG. 22B(b) shows the thin plate member 145 having a length shorter than the thin plate 140 in the fluid flow direction, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In the fluid flow direction, the thin plate member may have a length similar to that of the thin plate constituting the flow path of the partition member.

By disposing the thin plate member 145 within the flow path formed by the corrugated plate 140, the surface area of the flow path can be significantly increased. This can improve the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger. Furthermore, while providing the thin plate member improves the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, the ventilation resistance in the flow path increases. Hence, the thin plate member 145 can be formed of a metal sheet (e.g., aluminum foil) that is thinner than the corrugated plate 140. In this embodiment, the thin plate member is disposed only in the outside air path, where the air blowing capacity can be increased more easily. However, if the inside air path has sufficient air blowing capacity, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger can be further improved by providing a thin plate member in the inside air path as well.

Any of the partition members 101A to 101F shown in FIGS. 17A to 22B can be applied with the corresponding support portions described above, and similarly, fixing of the partition members and sealing of the end regions of the inside air path near the walls can be applied.

These various configurations may be constructed by repeatedly bending one thin plate, or may be constructed such that a plurality of plates are connected to each other. When a plurality of plates are connected to each other, for example, the plates may be interconnected by caulking (see FIG. 20) or the plates may be interconnected by brazing (see FIG. 21). By connecting a plurality of plates with sufficient processing accuracy, the partition member can be fabricated so that water, dust, etc., do not enter the flow path through which the heat exchange fluid flows. In addition, in any of the partition members having various groove configurations, the convex portion can be disposed on the thin plate so as to easily form a predetermined interval between the grooves, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B.

(Another Configuration Example of Heat Exchanger Case)

In the above embodiments, when forming the sealing layer 121 near the wall of the heat exchanger 100, a method of forming the temporary wall 119 using tape or the like to prevent leakage of the filler until the filler hardens has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the sealing layer 121 may be formed near the wall of the heat exchanger 100 without forming the temporary wall. In this regard, an example shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 will be described below.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a case 302 of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 24 is a perspective view and a partially enlarged view B showing a configuration of a support portion 134 of the case 302 in FIG. 23. Note that in FIGS. 23 and 24, the same components as those of the cases 102 and 202 of the heat exchangers 100 and 200 according to the above embodiments are indicated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The case 302 of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 23 has walls 302a and 302b, and as shown in the figure, the walls 302a and 302b are configured with an end wall surface 307 which is the first wall portion facing at least the inside air path in the heat exchanger, and the support portion 134 which is the second wall portion protruding from the end wall surface 307 toward the internal space of the case 302. The case 302 of the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present disclosure differs from the cases 102 and 202 of the heat exchangers 100 and 200 according to the above embodiments in the configuration of the support portion 134.

The support portion 134 can be produced entirely by resin molding, for example. As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the support portion 134 of the wall 302b includes a frame 137, a support member 135, and a sealing end surface 136. The frame 137 is configured to have an inner width substantially similar to the width between the inner wall surfaces 105b of the side wall surfaces 105 of the case 302. The support member 135 is disposed within the frame 137, extending across the inner width of the frame 137, and including a support end 135A located on the −Y side of the support member 135 shown in FIG. 24. The sealing end surface 136 is disposed on the opposite side of the support end 135A. The support member 135 includes a corrugated support surface 135a extending between the support end 135A and the sealing end surface 136, and an opposing surface 135b located on the back side of the support surface 135a. The thickness of the support member 135 is defined between the corrugated support surface 135a and the opposing surface 135b.

In this embodiment, as shown in the partially enlarged view B of FIG. 24, the support surface 135a of the support member 135 can be arranged to face the inside-air-side wall surface 103 (not shown in FIG. 24) on the −Z side of the case 302 in the figure, and the opposite facing surface 135b can be arranged to face the outside-air-side wall surface 104 (not shown in FIG. 24) on the +Z side of the case 302 in the figure. Also, as shown in the figure, the support surface 135a is configured to have a width t1 (Y direction length) between the support end 135A and the sealing end surface 136 in the flow direction (Y direction) of the fluid inside the case 302. In this embodiment, the opposite facing surface 135b of the support surface 135a is shown to have a shape generally similar to that of the support surface 135a, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The opposite facing surface 135b of the support member 135 may have a shape different from that of the support surface 135a.

In this embodiment, the sealing end surface 136 of the support portion 134 extends in the height direction (Z direction) of the heat exchanger from the support surface 135a to the inside-air-side wall surface 103 of the case 302 that defines the inside air path in the heat exchanger. When the sealing layer 121 is formed on the wall of the heat exchanger, the frame 137, the sealing end surface 136, and the support surface 135a form a space to be filled with the filler without forming the temporary wall 119 (FIG. 10), and the leakage of the filler can be prevented until the filler constituting the sealing layer hardens. In this way, in the case 302 of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 23, the sealing layer 121 can be formed on the wall of the heat exchanger without forming the temporary wall, and the sealing layer 121 can seal the end region of the inside air path near the wall of the heat exchanger and fix the partition member 101 to the case 302.

The heat exchanger case 302 shown in FIG. 23 can be manufactured by the same manufacturing method as that of the above heat exchanger cases 102 and 202. As described above, for example, the heat exchanger case 302 can be manufactured by forming the walls 302a and 302b of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 23 as one resin molded piece, forming the side wall surfaces 105 on both sides as other pieces, and the connecting the pieces.

As set forth hereinabove, the accompanying drawings and detailed description are provided to explain exemplary embodiments of the technology disclosed herein. Thus, among the components described in the accompanying drawings and detailed description, not only components essential for solving the problem but also components that are not essential for solving the problem in order to illustrate the above technology may be included. Accordingly, the fact that the non-essential components are described in the accompanying drawings or detailed description should not be interpreted as immediately indicating that the non-essential components are essential.

Although the present disclosure has been fully described in relation to the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Such modifications and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in the different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure is applicable to heat exchangers that exchange heat between fluids.